An Elegant Storm
by Lady Maryan
Summary: When a woman lost 50 years ago returns to the Sereitei she makes Byakuya face himself and his past.  But she posses her own shadows and needs help to face them.
1. Chapter 1

Yoruichi found the evening boring, and sat atop the roof of the Urahara Shoten. Days had been quite lately, and drearily boring. Gold eyes scanned across the tops of the buildings, a distant roar sounded in the distance, a hollow, not a very big one, leave it to Afro-san. Then something darted across the top of a nearby building, the reisatsu was definitely not Afro-san, it was deeper, different, and very familiar. Yoruichi took off across the roofs of the buildings following the black shape moving towards the hollow. When they reached the hollow, the bafoon the Soul Society had sent was still sparring with it, the black form stopped long enough for Yoruichi to get a good look, cloaked head to toe in black, formal black kimono with a hood over the top hiding the head and face, a zanpakto held at its side, barely a moment later it flash stepped, Yorouichi had no trouble following its moves and in a swift motion it dispatched the hollow. As it turned to look at the Shinigami who had been fighting the beast Yoruichi got her first glimpse at its face, a noh mask covered the face, the white surface painted so perfectly and elegantly it was almost hard to tell it was a mask at all, Arrancar or maybe a Vizard? No this one didn't feel like they did, this was different.

"HEY! Thanks for the help but I could have handled it myself! Who are you? State your name and division." Afro-san was yelling at the cloaked figure. The wind seemed to shift and Yoruichi got an odd feeling about it, but the figure said nothing. "How rude, answer me!" He took a step towards the figure and the figure raised the zanpakto, with moons light reflecting of the metal of the blade, Yoruichi was sure she knew who was behind the mask, she knew that blade, she had seen it before, trained beside its owner. Yoruichi approached the pair, the figure immediately looked to the small black cat. "Your Taicho is not going to be happy to know you have been hiding from him." The blade relaxed in the figures hand, Yoruichi continued to approach, "Where have you been? And why are you hiding yourself?" At that the figure took off, Yoruichi used flash step to try and catch up, but every time she seemed to get close the figure got further away, she lost track of it for only a moment, and before she knew it she was standing at the edge of Karakuro town, in the lawn of a small temple. She looked around and couldn't sense to figures presence any longer. How could she have just vanished into thin air? Yoruichi knew she had to get back to Urahara, he could help her track down the black figure, if not, she knew someone who could.

The next evening Yoruichi returned to the shoten, Urahara stood at the door of the shop and smiled, "Well I'm quite surprised you convinced them to come." he waved his fan a bit smiling at the two who had followed Yoruichi through the senkai gate. "This best not be a waste of our time." Captain Kuchiki stood behind her, his eyes that dark disinterest look they always held, and calm and quite beside him was his grandfather, the late Kuchiki Ginrei, former head of the Kuchiki clan and previous 6th division captain. "Why don't we go inside and discuss what we already know, and what I have found out today shall we? Tessai has tea ready." After sitting down around Urahara's modest dinning table the 4 sat in silence. Urahara sighed and began "I went to the area where you say the reisatsu vanished, and I did find something peculiar, a shift in energies, but not in the temple like you would assume, it was further out in the garden, strangely I couldn't quite pin-point its exact source." Yoruichi sat with her arms crossed and eyes closed. "Ginrei-dono, did you ever see Ongana-arashi's true form?" The old man looked up at her his brow knitted together, "I was her captian of course I did. I do hope you are not playing with an old man's heart Shihōin-dono, I lost two great lieutenants in my time, and now you tell me one them may not be dead. How can you know the blade you saw was indeed Ongana-arashi?" Yoruichi sighed and looked the man in the eyes, "I trained with her also, while I never saw the blades true form, I know that reisatsu, the way the wind shifted around it. I'm certain its her." He nodded his head and took a deep breath, "What did the figure you saw look like exactly?" "It was dressed in a full kimono, with a cloak covering its head, all in black, it was wearing a white noh mask painted in elegant blues and silver, a single black tear drop falling down the left side." The old man tensed, Byakuya looked at his grandfather questioningly, "No doubt that is exactly what Ongana-arashi looked like. But why is a Zanpakto wandering loose without its master?" Urahara held his fan in front of his face, "Very good question, you said you spoke with it correct? Said the captain would not be happy to know she was hiding, perhaps instead of running away she was trying to lead you somewhere?" Yoruichi huffed, "Keisuke it vanished, the reisatsu vanished, if she was trying to show me something why did she vanish?" "Perhaps it wasn't you she was looking for, you forget her owner served one family, and one family alone." Urahara smirked behind his fan. "Why don't we go for a walk, its quite lovely this time of year."

The more this dragged on, the more annoyed Byakuya became with the whole thing, his grandfather on the other hand had set his mind to solving this mystery, and it was the only thing that kept the 6th division captain from leaving. The sound of a hollow nearby caused Yoruichi to smirk, "Perfect." They found the hollow in the center of a nearby shopping district, the shinigami assigned to the city was already on the scene struggling with a hollow slightly larger than the one the previous night. Byakuya stood bored as they watched the fool use poor form and style to try and dispatch the beast. Then it came, the wind shifted and like a streak of lighting the beast was gone leaving the shinigami shocked, then angry, "You again! I don't know who you are but this is my city! Go get your own assignment." There floating in the air was the black figure, Ongana-arashi. "Ginrei-dono, release your reisatsu, she knows you better than anyone." Urahara watched the floating figure, Ginrei did exactly that, the former captains still ever impressive resiatsu permeated the area and immediately caught Ongana-arashi's attention. A single shunpo brought the black covered women before them, she bowed deep to Ginrei, "Where is your master? Why do you wander alone?" Rising from the bow she turned and motioned for them to follow before walking away, the soft tap of her geta as she walked leading them.

They were led to the same temple Yoruichi had lost her at the night before, a silent guide Ongana-arashi led them through the paths to the very back of the temple, a small shrine sat in the far corner, hidden behind overgrowth. "Well I didn't see this last time I was here." Urahara fanned himself lightly. The zanpakto held the physical blade up and slashed the air, wind slicing through the overgrowth revealing the shrine, faded and unattended. Ongana-arashi turned back to the others and stood folding her hands in front of her. Urahara approached the shrine and examined it, "Hmmm that would explain it, its a seal, well more than one it would seem, but one is weakened..." "Stop!" everyone turned and the shrine monk stood on the path behind them, "You cannot awaken the oni!" Before the man could take another step Yorouichi appeared behind him, with a single well landed blow the man fell to the ground unconscious. "Ahhh, that's the answer, Ongana-arashi escaped because the reisatsu barrier is weakened. But how to break through the barriers." Ongana-arashi raised her hand then lowered it, Urahara looked at her, "Do you know?" She lowered her head, "She can't speak." Ginrei was leaning heavy on his cane, "She can only speak to her owner, and other zanpakto like her. Grandson, manifest Senbonzakura." Byakuya looked at his grandfather but obeyed drawing his blade, the black haired warrior appearing before them. "Senbonzakura, Ongana-arashi speaks to the wind, see if you can communicate with her." Ginrei looked up at the warrior, Senbonzakura nodded and approached the other zanpakto. What happened next to most wouldn't be considered typical communication, Ongana-arashi held out her hand waiting for Senbonzakura to extend the opposite, then began an elaborate dance, one that seemed only they knew the steps for, the two moved synchronized to each other leaves kicking up and dancing around them, the dance ended as gracefully as it had started the partners bowing to each other.

Senbonzakura returned to the group, "Evidently when Karakura town was brought into the soul society it weakened the reisatsu barrier, that is how she is able to escape, there is a second barrier however, one designed that it holds only the master back. The first barrier can easily be broken, she is unsure of the power of the second as it does not interfere with her. But she leaves warning, the master lost control in their last battle, while Ongana-arashi will try and restrain her, she may be unpredictable, she was sealed in Bankai form." Ginrei narrowed his eyes, "Foolish girl." he murmered. "I guess we just try and bust through." Yorouichi flexed her arm, Ongana-arashi took a step back seemingly shocked. Urahara chuckled, fanning himself. "I wish we would have brought Tessai." With a loud thump the kido master appeared behind Urahara, "I predicted you may need my assistance." Urahara spun around and rubbed the back of his head, "Ah well. Then would you like to have a look Tessai-san?" Tessai approached the shrine focusing on it, "This is more Hachigen's specialty." He crossed his arms thoughtfully. "We do not require their assistance in such a trivial matter." Byakuya spoke his voice dripping with spite. "She was your friend and a mentor to you Byakuya, you don't seem to care about freeing her." Yorouichi scowled. "She fell in battle, if she is unable to break through a simple barrier created by a human, then that is of her concern." Byakuya turned away from them, "Let us leave now." "No." his grandfather stood stalwart, "You don't understand grandson, its not a simple barrier, and she isn't simply just a shinigami, and you forget you owe her your life." Senbonzakura spoke up, "She trained us, she made us stronger. We owe her." Byakuya clenched his fist and spun around, "Return Senbonzakura." The zanpakto was forced to return to his blade form and be sheathed.

"Ahhah!" Tessai stood from where he had been squatting examining the shrine, he nodded proud of himself, "This won't be as bad as I had thought. Miss would you please return to your master, I will need your assistance pushing against the barriers." Ongana-arashi nodded and dissipated into a grey mist and vanished into the shrine. Tessai sat on the ground crossing his legs and meditating, he clasped his hands and began to chant a spell. "Remember she said she didn't know how much control she will have, so be on your guard." Yoruichi stared at the shrine hard.

As Tessai's reisatsu grew with the spell lightning seemed to spark over the shrine before it exploded sending wooden flying, something shot straight up from the rubble of the small building, a black figure hovered in the sky almost blocking out the moon, lightning began to dance all around and clouds quickly formed overhead. Byakuya's hand instinctualy went to his blade's hilt, and Yoruichi stepped back into a defense stance. Ginrei stepped forward and slammed his cane into the ground raising his reistasu almost drowning out the out of control Bankai. "Fukukawa Kiniko I order you to stand down." As if snapped from a trance, the bankai vanished, leaving a female shinigami hovering for a moment in the air, before she came plummeting to the earth. Tessai caught her easily enough and lowered her to the ground to examine her, she had steel silver hair, her shihakusho was torn and burned, the blue obi around her waist was all but destroyed, scorch marks marring what little remained, but fastened around her arm, almost untouched was the sign of the 6th division, a vice-captian's band. Her face was covered in dirt but shining beneath it was pale blue makeup. "She is missing her limiter, thats why she lost control." Urahara mused, noting her ears were elongated and pointed at the tips. "She was last known to be fighting a menos grande, it would make sense she would find need to remove it." Ginrei approached his fallen lieutenant. Byakuya stared down at the woman his brow knitted together in a bit of confusion. "You have never seen her this way have you?" Yoruichi put her hand on his shoulder, he shrugged it off. "We will have to get her a new one before she can return to the Soul Society." Urahara sighed as Tessai completed his inspection lifting her back up, not finding any wounds in need of immediate attention. Ginrei stared at her cradled in the man's large arms, he reached up and pushed a stray lock from her face. "Lets head back to the shoten." Urahara suggested.


	2. Chapter 2

Blue eyes fluttered open and stared at the white ceiling above, "Ah, your awake!" a soft male spoke, Kiniko turned her head and was looking at a face that seemed familiar, "Yamada-fukutaicho?"

The boy kind of chuckle, "No...that was my brother, I am Hanataro."

Kiniko sat up carefully in the bed, she looked around, she knew she was in the 4th division medical wing.

"I'll be right back, I am going to go get Unohona-taicho." Kiniko nodded looking down at her hands, she looked over her Zanpakto sitting on a stand beside her bed. Had it all been some strange dream? Something felt so strange, she replayed the battle over in her mind, and it seemed like something was missing, something important, she never remembered finishing off the hollow, maybe she had passed out from her injuries and reinforcements arrived. She shook her head and reached up and touched the top of her right ear running her finger along the metal fastened there, it was still there, odd, she remembered taking it off and dropping it, someone must have found it. Her thoughts where interrupted by the door opening, the soft smiling face of the 4th division captain beamed at her.

"Ah, good to see you feeling better Fukukawa-san." Kiniko nodded, briefly ruffling her brow, she had not referred to her as vice-captain as she normally would, she dismissed it and smiled at the captain.

"If you are feeling well enough, Head Captain would like to speak with you concerning your assignment." butterflies crept into Kiniko's stomach, had she done something wrong?

"Why don't you get dressed, Yamada-san will escort you." She almost wanted to object, but with Unohana-taicho it was usually a losing fight. With that the captain turned and left. "I'll be outside when you are ready." Yamada bowed and left the room and closed the door.

Kiniko looked to a small table, a neatly folded shihakusho laid there, she lowered her head, "Kuchiki-taicho will be upset I ruined my obi..." she said getting up off the bed. The obi had been a simple gift from Kuchiki Ginrei when she had become his fukutaicho. She slipped into the uniform, tying the belt around her waist, sitting on the table beside where the uniform had sat was a small metal hair piece, she smiled, she must have lost her other one, or it had been damaged so her captain had another one sent. This one was more ornate than her usual on, but it would satisfy to tame her long starlight tresses. After affixing her hair in a proper fashion Kiniko lifted her blade from its cradle and fixed it to her waist, before opening the door to the room. Yamada snapped out of his daze and bowed to Kiniko, "This way please."

Kiniko knew her way through the Serietei but it would upset Unohana-taicho if she didn't allow Yamada to escort her. As they walked the long paths leading through the Serietie some things struck Kiniko as odd, things seemed out of place, she couldn't pinpoint what. They walked in silence, the 4th division boy leading his head slightly bowed. They reached the gates of the 1st division and were met by the fukutaicho of the 1st division.

"Good day Sasakibe-fukutaicho**" **Kiniko bowed to the other fukutaicho. He bowed in return, "The head captain is waiting for you." She nodded and bowed thanking Yamada before falling into step behind Sasakibe. As they walked something tugged at her, he was usually more candid with her, she began to become uneasy, what had happened that warranted the head captain wanting to speak directly to her?

They came to the two large doors that lead into the Head captain's office, once they were inside Sasakibe spoke, "Taicho, Fukuawa Kiniko has arrived as ordered sir." Kiniko knelt down on one knee, showing respect to the leader of the Gotei 13. When she looked up she caught sight of other people in the room, she couldn't stop herself from looking, one was a tall man with black tattoos and bright red hair, and the other, Kiniko breath caught in her chest.

"Kuchiki-dono..." she barely whispered. What was going on? Where was Kuchiki Ginrei? Why was Byakuya wearing the captain's haori?

"Fukukawa." the deep stern voice snapped her back to the head captain.

"Yes head captain?" What was going on?

"Fukukawa Kiniko, fukutaicho to the 6th division captain Kuchiki Ginrei, do you know how long you have been out of the serietei?" She looked down at the ground, "Before now, I presumed a week...now sir, I'm not sure at all."

Renji raised an eyebrow, she had been a fukutaicho? People had been murmuring around the division about her, he hadn't heard she had been the fukutaicho. He looked to his captain, his eyes were closed, his usual pose when listening. He looked back to the silver haired woman kneeling in front of the head captain's desk.

"It has been over 50 years since you were sent to the human world." Kiniko's head snapped up, her eyes wide in disbelief. She stood up looking from the head captain, to Renji then to Byakuya, then back.

"Fukukawa, I want you to give us a full report, starting from the time you arrived in the human world." She snapped to attention, "Yes head captain!" In a moment the woman's whole attitude changed, she took a deep breath and stared ahead and began.

"Fukukawa Kiniko, 6th division fukutaicho, I was given orders to do reconnaissance in the human world concerning a strange reisatsu appearing around the location known as Karakura town. I was assigned a 6th division members, and two members of the 10th division to complete this mission. We arrived in Karakura town and immediately began our investigation, first day we found no pertinent information, the end of the second day we encountered a high level hollow, after dispatching it, we were ambushed. Initial reaction deemed it another hollow, but we were wrong, it was much worse, we believed we had encountered a low level arrancar. I called for backup but my communication was cut short, and I did not know if anyone received it. Myself and Kimura from 6th divison launched an offensive against the beast, we were pushed back and Kimura received a grievous injury, I ordered a full retreat, but the arrancar had other ideas, before I could move he had finished off Kimura and was after the two members of 10th division. I attempted another attack, but was once again deflected, I tried to communicate with the Serietei once again, again no reply, the two members of 10th division never made it, the beast dispatched them both in one blow. Then it turned on me, without authorization I could not remove my division limiter, but with little option I was forced to remove my primary limiter." she touched her left ear. "I was also forced the judgment to use my bankai, it was life or death, and I refused to be struck down by a hollow without giving it everything I possibly had."

The head captain nodded. "The battle ensued, but as I felt Ongana-Arashi reaching her apex a darkness swallowed me, I don't remember anything beyond that moment sir, until I heard Kuchiki-taicho voice order me to stand down. I'm sorry sir."

The head captain stared at Kiniko for a long moment then nodded, "Your report is consistent with all other evidence and reports we have." He folded his hands in front of him, "When the rescue team arrived at the scene you were gone Fukukawa, we have found out only recently as to why, we believe a human possessing great spiritual strength most likely sealed your weakened self behind a series of barriers. And only recent action in Karakura town managed to weaken these barriers enough to allow your zanpakto to escape and find help."

He placed his hands back on the desk, "Many things have happened in these last years Fukukawa, we are lucky to have one of your strength return to our ranks, many divisions are in need of strong leadership, and since your return I have received many requests for you to join their divisions."

Kiniko's eyes went wide again and she knelt swiftly bowing her head again, "Head Captain Yamamoto, I mean no disrespect sir but if Kuchiki-taicho will give me the honor, I would like to return to 6th division, I will honor any position he gives me."

The head captain looked to Byakuya, "We presumed as much, and Kuchiki-taicho has given permission for you to rejoin his division." She raised her head before bowing deeply. "Thank you sir." The head captain nodded, "Your all dismissed."

Kiniko looked over to Byakuya and their eyes met, something was very different about him, but then she had been gone over 50 years, what could one expect. She stood up and fell in behind her captain and the red haired man as they left the room.

After they had left the 1st division, Renji stopped and turned to Kiniko, "My name is Abarai Renji, 6th division vice captain." He held out his hand to Kiniko.

Kiniko simply looked at it, but bowed, "It is an honor to meet you Abarai-fukutaicho." He cocked an eyebrow at her, but she was distracted, the captain had stopped a number of paces ahead of them, and Kiniko was watching him, Abarai wasn't good at reading people, so he couldn't really tell what the silver haired woman was thinking.

"If your finished Abarai, we have work to do." Byakuya said before he began to walk away.

"Uh, yes Taicho." he looked one last time at Kiniko before he jogged to catch up to their captain. He looked over his shoulder and noticing Kiniko was a ways back, she was looking at the ground as she walked, hands clasped in front of her as she walked. He looked to his captain, face blank and stalwart as ever, it was bothering Renji, what was with these two?


End file.
